Apple could release the first M4 Macs as soon as October: Here are the potential release dates, models and prices
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If you’re thinking about buying a new Mac this year, you might want to wait a little longer because M4 Macs are coming soon.
In May, Apple launched its new M4 chip in the iPad Pro, but we haven’t seen it in a Mac yet. That won’t be the case much longer, though. It looks like Apple is getting ready to launch the first M4 Macs by the end of this year, but some models will have to wait until 2025.
Here’s everything we know so far about the upcoming M4 Mac launch, including which models are coming in 2024, their potential configurations and prices, and the possible release dates.
MacBook Pro, Mac Mini, and iMac getting M4 refresh this year
This weekend, trusted Apple analyst Mark Gurman reported in Bloomberg's Power On newsletter that Apple is planning to reveal the first M4 Macs by the end of the year. We won’t be getting the entire M4 line-up at once, but the full Mac line-up is getting the M4 chip. According to Gurman, three Macs will get an M4 refresh this year: the MacBook Pro, Mac Mini, and iMac.
Rumors have been brewing for months now about a potential M4 Mac launch in 2024 and Gurman’s claims all but confirm it. Gurman previously hinted about a potential 2024 launch back in April, but this more recent claim clarifies which M4 Macs we’ll be getting this year rather than in 2025.
So, what about the specific release date? All three of Apple’s M-series MacBook Pros were announced in October and November, including last year’s M3 MacBook Pro which launched on October 30. Additionally, so far Apple has always announced new M-series MacBook Pros on Tuesdays. Based on this release date history, the most likely dates for the M4 MacBook Pro reveal are October 29 and November 5, 12, and 19.
Based on last year’s Mac releases, we can expect to see at least five MacBook Pro models including:
14-inch, M4
14-inch, M4 Pro
14-inch, M4 Max
16-inch, M4 Pro
16-inch, M4 Max
Assuming Apple maintains a similar pricing model from this year’s line-up, the M4 MacBooks will start at $1,599 for the base 14-inch MacBook Pro M4.
This will be a big update for the Mac Mini since there currently isn’t an M3 version of it. Right now, the Mac Mini maxes out with the M2 Pro chip. If Gurman’s claims about a full M4 Mac line-up refresh are accurate, it looks like Apple is going to completely skip the M3 Mac Mini and jump straight to the M4 chips.
So, based on the current Mac Mini and iMac line-up, there will be at least three M4 models:
iMac M4
Mac Mini M4
Mac Mini M4 Pro
Assuming Apple maintains its current pricing model, the iMac M4 will start at $1,299 and the Mac Mini M4 will start at $599.
What about the M4 MacBook Air, Mac Pro, and Mac Studio?
Fans of the MacBook Air, Mac Pro, and Mac Studio will unfortunately have to wait a bit longer for M4 upgrades. According to Gurman, these three Mac models aren’t getting the M4 chips until 2025. Based on the last few release dates, we can expect this trio of Macs to launch in either March or June 2025.
If you’re wondering why Apple is holding back some of its M4 Macs until 2025, there are a few possible reasons. For the M4 MacBook Air, the delay is most likely just due to the timing of the M3 MacBook Air announcement, which was on March 4, 2024. Apple probably wants to give the M3 MacBook Air a full year on the market before rolling out the M4 MacBook Air.
The Mac Pro and Mac Studio are probably part of the 2025 group of M4 Mac launches because of the M4 Ultra chip. Apple is still behind on its Ultra CPU line-up. As of August 2024, the M3 Ultra has yet to be released. If Gurman’s claims that the entire Mac line-up is getting the M4 chip are indeed true, Apple may simply skip the M3 Ultra and go straight to the M4 Ultra.
It’s also possible Apple could have M4, M4 Pro, and M4 Max versions of the Mac Pro and Mac Studio alongside an M3 Ultra configuration. Either way, the new Mac Pro and Mac Studio should have an updated Ultra version. The research and development time required for the M4 Ultra chip could very well be the reason these two Mac models aren’t getting an M4 update until 2025.
Outlook
The anticipation for the M4 Mac line-up has been building all year, especially since Apple unveiled the M4 chip in the new iPad Pro back in May. Apple consistently reveals a new Mac every year, so it’s no surprise we’re getting M4 Macs in 2024. The big takeaways from Mark Gurman’s claims this weekend are that we now know what specific M4 Macs are coming this year and which ones will have to wait until early 2025.
We can expect to get more concrete details about the M4 Mac launches as we near the end of the year since the first M4 Macs will most likely launch in late October or November. Laptop Mag is closely following all the latest news and rumors surrounding the M4 Mac line-up, so make sure to stay tuned for more details.
